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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-37781

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to expand the deployment of solar panels across the NHS Scotland estate.

The NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2026 includes a target to deliver a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from its buildings compared to a 1990 baseline by 2030 and net-zero emissions from its estate by 2040. To support this, the Scottish Government is working with NHS Scotland Health Boards to implement a range of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures, including onsite and offsite renewable energy systems such as solar panels.

The current funding approach for NHS Scotland decarbonisation involves leveraging both public capital and private investment as funding options for renewable energy schemes and to consider partnerships with suppliers through Power Purchase Agreements. Capital funding from the Scottish Government may also be made available for onsite arrays, although NHS Boards are expected to consider renewable energy and energy efficiency measures as part of their planning.

Question reference: S6W-37439

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update planning guidance for local authorities to ensure that, when building control is assessing demolition building warrants that are sought for unlisted buildings that may be of special architectural interest, it checks with planning officers and Historic Environment Scotland whether a building preservation notice should be issued by the local authority to allow the building to be assessed for designation as listed.

The Scottish Government has no current plans to update planning guidance for local authorities on unlisted buildings and building preservation notices. Section 3 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 already sets out that a planning authority may serve a building preservation notice if it appears to them that an unlisted building is of special architectural or historic interest and is in danger of demolition or of alteration in such a way as to affect its character as a building of such interest. It also sets out that the planning authority will request Historic Environment Scotland to consider listing the building that is subject to a building preservation notice.

Question reference: S6W-37590

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to develop the Scottish supply chain for the subcontract design, manufacture and export of pressure vessels for small modular reactors globally.

The Scottish Government has been clear that it does not support the development of new nuclear under current technologies. Small modular reactors, whilst innovative in size and location, present the same environmental issues as traditional nuclear power stations.

The Scottish Government supports investment in renewables, which is both safer and considerably more cost effective than the production of electricity using nuclear fission.

The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to drive the deployment of renewable energy in Scotland by leveraging private investment, building our supply chain and securing green jobs. This commitment includes our investment of up to £500 million over five years to anchor our offshore wind supply chain in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04731

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work Social Security Scotland is undertaking to improve its communication with applicants for Child Disability Payment.

Question reference: S6W-37591

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on its financial support of the Scottish Events Campus expansion project.

As substantial financial pressures persist, we are unable to confirm whether it is possible to provide financial support to fund the planned expansion of the Scottish Events Campus (SEC). However, we continue to be open to further engagement with the SEC, which has an excellent track record and reputation for hosting conferences, concerts and events, ranking highly as it does in the global Pollstar rankings and contributing to Scotland’s reputation as The Perfect Stage.

Question reference: S6W-37592

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 21 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing for the renovation and restoration of the People’s Palace Museum and Winter Gardens at Glasgow Green.

The Scottish Government has not to date, provided any direct financial support for the People’s Palace redevelopment project. However, I understand that this project was accepted onto Historic Environment Scotland’s, Historic Environment Repair Grant programme in May 2023 and is currently going through the development process.

I will be meeting with Glasgow Life in the coming months to learn more about the project and the opportunities it could deliver for the local community, the wider heritage sector, Scotland’s economy, and tackling child poverty.

Question reference: S6W-37341

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will escalate the emergency repairs and "living ruin" project at Springburn Winter Gardens from the reserve list of the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund projects for the 2025-26 financial year, in light of it being an at-risk, category A-listed landmark building that is surrounded by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation decile 1 and quintile 1 areas.

Question reference: S6W-37342

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £2.64 million awarded to the Glasgow Meat Market sheds regeneration project by the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund in the 2021-22 financial year has been spent to date.

Question reference: S6W-37470

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many sellers of tobacco-based products have had their registration with the Scottish Tobacco Register removed in 2024-25 due to committing three breaches of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 and Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 within a two-year period.

Question reference: S6W-37468

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to broaden the types of places that can be designated smoke-free.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now entered into committee stage in the House of Lords. Following the conclusion of the Bill’s passage through Westminster, we expect to consult on the extension of restrictions on smoke-free places.

The Scottish Government has not yet taken any decisions on how these powers should be used in Scotland, but any regulations laid before the Scottish Parliament will be informed by evidence and outputs from public consultation. It is not possible at this stage to confirm timescales; however, we will keep Parliament informed as this work develops.

These powers fit with the commitment the Scottish Government has made within the Tobacco and Vaping Framework to review the value and potential implementation of further place-based restrictions alongside our review of the implementation of the hospital grounds restrictions.

Many public places in Scotland already have voluntary restrictions on vaping indoors. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides powers for the Scottish Government to expand on smoke free, vape free and heated tobacco free spaces in Scotland.